The 8th of March is internationally acclaimed as the day that celebrates womanhood- the existence of females- the acknowledgement of their growth and capabilities and above all- paying homage to the undying spirit of women in this so called ‘man’s world. As a woman, the International Women’s Day is the time to appreciate oneself- inspire- get inspired and vow to take one ahead in every sphere of life.
Every woman is special- whether she is an iconic entity or an ordinary one yet we tend to get more influenced by celebrities- especially the ones belonging to Bollywood- a world of dreams that millions of people aspire to be a part of! The influence is not just because of the oh-so-fabulous closets of these stars or their massive fandom- some of them have made a mark with their courage, confidence and skill, proving themselves worthy against all odds and setting examples for the rest.
Bollywood’s real women of substance
While every lady on this planet has her own share of struggles and many of them are winners too- these ladies from Bollywood have done commendable work for leading others towards a better life-
Kangana Ranaut
This extremely talented actress has won the National Award thrice while on the downside she has been a part of controversies time and again. Having been unscrupulously confronted and questioned about her past relationships by the media and getting a lot of hate messages from the audience, Kangana has always managed to keep her ground- without falling back in her work commitments. Keeping facts and rumors aside-she has put forth a point- that it is important to focus and to keep growing. Now that’s some real “Queen” attitude! Overshadowing every controversy with her quality work and high spirits, Kangana is also known for her impeccably styled wardrobe- whether it is a simple cotton saree worn at the airport or a steamy gown worn for the red carpet.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Our very own ‘desi girl’ recently turned ‘videshi’ after tying the knot with singer and international celebrity Nick Jonas- a man who is 10 years younger than her. For a progressive yet dogmatic society that believes in male seniority in every aspect, Priyanka’s marriage was the first-of-its-kind celebrity wedding in India; a grand affair that put all memes circulated on social media to shame. The big fat Indian wedding was held in Udaipur- full of flamboyance and cross-cultural dance performances- where Priyanka walked the aisle twice- once in a 3D flower studded red lehenga choli and later in a Ralph Lauren Christian wedding gown.
This relationship has opened up the mind of the Indian youth for exploring the world of true love where any kind of differences and norms do not exist.
Tanushree Dutta
Once in the limelight and then almost forgotten, Tanushree Dutta shook the country with her allegations towards reputed names in Bollywood- exposing men involved in the casting couch. The sudden uproar was quickly transformed into a much talked about “Me Too” campaign, where other women from the fraternity as well as from other walks of life spoke up about being objectified.
The ‘Me Too” campaign was also carried forward to issues related to women’s attire and how a lady clad in a modest salwar suit was as unsafe as the one dressed up in a skimpy outfit.
Swara Bhasker
This lady was trolled on the grounds of ‘Indian Sanskaars’ for her rebellious role and masturbation scene in Veere Di wedding. Post that she has been thrashed more than once, for her social media updates on national issues. Taking the laughter route, Swara has come up with a series of videos on her social media handles where she has been sweetly (and of course, sarcastically) reverting back to all of her trolls while making her audio-visual content quite an entertainment for her fans and the rest of the audience. Quite a dramatic response!
Yesteryear’s Bollywood actresses who made an impact
When it comes to show-business, the world is mean! Bollywood- a platform for visually appealing women has had its own share of rebels- females who aced the industry during their time and became legends by just believing in themselves.
Rekha
“Beauty is only skin deep”- this ideology never applied to the film industry where for a long time, women were assessed solely on the basis of their appearance. The most loved diva today- Rekha was once called the ‘ugly duckling’ of Hindi cinema. Dusky and plump, she faced a lot of criticism from the audience as well as her co-workers who saw no potential in her. Rising against all odds- Rekha ji became one of the leading actresses of Bollywood and at the age of 64, she is still an icon for millions of women. She is a staunch patron of traditional Indian weaves and is usually spotted wearing Kanchipuram silk sarees.
Kajol
‘Chuck threading!’- was the attitude of this energetic lady who entered the reel world with unshaped eyebrows. After delivering multiple hits and becoming one of the most loved actresses of the 1990s and the early years of the new century, Kajol has proved that even in an industry where looks matter the most, one can succeed with talent and confidence in oneself. Kajol has won a number of awards as a lead actress in some of the biggest hits like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai where she played contrasting roles- a top-to-toe denim tomboy as well as a graceful lady dancing to romantic tunes in chiffon sarees.
While these are undisputed icons of Indian cinema- there are a lot of other women from the industry as well as outside, who have made a mark with their talent, work and ideals. In fact we believe that every woman is a fighter, a survivor and a winner and therefore on this Women’s Day, we look up to each and every one of you.
We wish you all a Very Happy Women’s Day!
